Senior UX Designer - 12 Month FTC

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Designer - 12 Month Fixed-Term Contract

Company: Lloyds Banking Group

Location: London, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-time, Temporary

Category: User Experience (UX) Design / Product Design Operations

Date Posted: 03 September 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end user experience design process, ensuring cohesive and intuitive customer journeys.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including product managers, researchers, and developers, to translate business requirements and user needs into effective design solutions.

• Leverage a central design system to maintain consistency and efficiency while creatively balancing content and UI elements.

• Advocate for inclusive and accessible design principles to cater to a diverse user base.

• Utilize user research and usability testing findings to inform and iterate on design decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a 12-month fixed-term contract (FTC) within a large financial institution. The focus is on applying UX design principles within a structured, hybrid work environment, emphasizing collaboration, adherence to design systems, and understanding technical constraints within the financial services sector. The role requires a proactive approach to design ownership and stakeholder communication.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• End-to-End UX Design: Skillfully craft cohesive user journeys by creatively utilizing components from a central design system, ensuring the right balance of content and UI elements.

• Prototyping & Visualization: Bring designs to life using various prototyping software (e.g., Sketch, InVision, Figma, Axure, Adobe XD) to effectively communicate user flows and interactions.

• User-Centricity & Business Alignment: Balance business requirements with user needs by gathering and interpreting user research and rationale, diplomatically advocating for customer needs.

• Platform Adaptability: Adapt designs to technical constraints of different platforms while providing guidance for optimal end-user experiences.

• Inclusive & Accessible Design: Champion customer inclusion by designing accessible solutions suitable for users of all ages, backgrounds, and technical abilities.

• Design System Contribution: Proactively recommend improvements and extensions to existing design systems to benefit project outcomes and the wider design team.

• Stakeholder Communication: Clearly articulate design choices, user research insights, and technical considerations to internal customers and development teams.

• Design Delivery: See designs through to delivery, collaborating with developers to ensure specifications are met and user accessibility is maintained.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a hands-on role requiring significant autonomy in design output. The emphasis on "full ownership" and "skilfully craft" suggests a need for a designer who can independently drive design initiatives from conception to implementation, with a strong focus on user advocacy and cross-functional collaboration within a large corporate structure.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating proficiency in UX/Interaction Design principles is paramount. Relevant certifications or formal education in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or related fields are advantageous.

Experience: A minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in User Experience Design or Interaction Design.

Required Skills:

• Interaction Design Expertise: Proven ability to design complex, end-to-end user experiences and user flows.

• Prototyping Proficiency: Mastery of prototyping tools such as Sketch, InVision, Figma, Axure, or Adobe XD.

• Design System Utilization: Experience working with and contributing to established design systems.

• User Research Interpretation: Ability to interpret quantitative and qualitative user research, and usability testing findings to inform design decisions.

• Accessibility Standards: Strong understanding and practical application of accessibility guidelines (e.g., WCAG).

• Stakeholder Management: Excellent communication and presentation skills to articulate design rationale and gain buy-in from internal stakeholders and development teams.

• Platform Understanding: Awareness of technical constraints and best practices across various digital platforms.

• Problem-Solving: Ability to balance user needs with business objectives and technical limitations.

Preferred Skills:

• Financial Services Experience: Familiarity with the complexities and regulatory environment of the financial services industry.

• Visual Design Acumen: While primarily UX-focused, a strong visual design sensibility can be beneficial.

• Agile Methodologies: Experience working within Agile development frameworks.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Demonstrated success in collaborating with product managers, researchers, developers, and business analysts.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "5 years experience" benchmark is a guideline; the emphasis on transferable skills and relevant experience suggests that candidates with slightly less formal experience but a robust portfolio and demonstrable capabilities may still be considered. The role requires a blend of creative design thinking and analytical rigor, with a strong emphasis on practical application within a corporate setting.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• End-to-End Case Studies: Showcase at least 2-3 comprehensive case studies detailing your process from problem identification and user research through to final design solutions and outcomes.

• Design System Application: Demonstrate how you've utilized and contributed to design systems in previous projects, highlighting efficiency gains and consistency improvements.

• Prototyping Examples: Include interactive prototypes or detailed walkthroughs of complex user flows to illustrate your interaction design capabilities.

• User Research Integration: Clearly articulate how user research and usability testing informed your design decisions and led to measurable improvements.

• Accessibility Focus: Present examples where accessibility was a key consideration, detailing the specific challenges and solutions implemented.

• Problem/Solution Framing: Clearly define the user problem and business objective for each case study and how your design addressed them.

Process Documentation:

• User Journey Mapping: Evidence of creating and utilizing user journey maps to understand and optimize the customer experience.

• Wireframing & Flow Diagrams: Examples of wireframes and user flow diagrams used to plan and communicate design structures.

• Usability Testing Reports: Snippets or summaries of usability testing reports and how their findings were actioned.

• Design Specification Documents: Examples of how you've documented design specifications for developer handoff.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is critical for this role, serving as the primary evidence of a candidate's skills and experience. The emphasis on end-to-end case studies, design system integration, and user research application suggests the hiring team will be looking for a designer who can demonstrate a mature and systematic approach to UX design within a complex organizational context.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: £72,702 - £80,780 per annum.

Benefits:

• Generous Pension Contribution: Up to 15% contribution.

• Annual Performance-Related Bonus: Discretionary bonus based on individual and company performance.

• Share Schemes: Including free shares, offering potential for long-term financial growth.

• Lifestyle Adaptable Benefits: Discounts on shopping and other perks that can be tailored to individual needs.

• Holiday Allowance: 30 days of annual leave, plus bank holidays.

• Wellbeing Initiatives: Access to a range of programs and resources to support employee health and well-being.

• Generous Parental Leave: Comprehensive policies for new parents.

• Flexible Working Options: Including Job Share, with hybrid working (minimum 2 days/40% in office).

Working Hours: Full Time, typically 40 hours per week, with hybrid working expectations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is competitive for a Senior UX Designer role in London, especially within a large financial institution. The comprehensive benefits package reflects the nature of a large, established employer like Lloyds Banking Group, aiming to attract and retain talent through financial incentives, work-life balance support, and professional development opportunities. The hybrid working model is clearly defined.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services. Lloyds Banking Group is one of the UK's largest financial services groups, offering a wide range of banking and financial products and services. This context implies a focus on security, compliance, regulation, and a large, diverse customer base.

Company Size: Large enterprise. As one of the UK's leading banks, Lloyds Banking Group employs a significant number of people, indicating a structured, corporate environment with established processes and numerous career pathways.

Founded: The current Lloyds Banking Group was formed through mergers and acquisitions, with its origins tracing back to the early 19th century. This long history suggests a stable, established organization with a deep understanding of the financial market.

Team Structure:

• Cross-Functional Design Teams: The role is part of a broader design team, working collaboratively with UX designers, researchers, UI designers, and potentially product owners.

• Hybrid Work Model: The team operates on a hybrid model, requiring in-office presence for collaboration and team cohesion, balanced with remote work flexibility.

• Agile Environment: Likely operating within Agile or similar iterative development methodologies, fostering close collaboration between design, product, and engineering.

• Reporting Structure: Likely reports into a Head of UX, Design Lead, or Head of Product Design, with direct collaboration with product managers and development leads for specific projects.

Methodology:

• User-Centered Design: Core to the role is a strong emphasis on understanding and meeting user needs through research and testing.

• Design System Driven: A central design system is a key tool, promoting consistency, efficiency, and scalability across digital products.

• Data-Informed Decisions: User research, usability testing, and potentially analytics data are used to inform and validate design decisions.

• Iterative Development: Designs are likely developed and refined iteratively, with continuous feedback loops from stakeholders and users.

Company Website: https://www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Working within a financial services giant like Lloyds Banking Group means navigating a complex regulatory landscape and catering to a broad demographic. The company culture likely emphasizes stability, customer trust, and a commitment to ethical practices, alongside ongoing digital transformation efforts. The hybrid working model is a significant aspect of the team's operational structure.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior UX Designer role, indicating a significant level of experience and autonomy. It suggests the individual is expected to lead design initiatives, mentor junior designers (potentially), and contribute to strategic design discussions. The role is a 12-month FTC, which might be a stepping stone to a permanent position or a project-specific engagement.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Designer will likely report to a Design Manager or Head of UX/Product Design. They will work closely with Product Managers, Scrum Masters, and Development Leads on specific product squads or projects.

Operations Impact: The UX Designer's impact is directly tied to improving the customer experience across Lloyds Banking Group's digital platforms. This includes driving customer satisfaction, increasing engagement, reducing support queries through intuitive design, and ensuring compliance with accessibility standards, all of which contribute to business objectives and brand reputation.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas like accessibility design, complex financial product UX, or advanced prototyping techniques.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gain experience working with diverse teams across different product areas within the bank.

• Leadership Potential: For high performers, this FTC could lead to opportunities for permanent roles or future senior/lead positions within the design function.

• Industry Insight: Develop a deep understanding of UX challenges and best practices within the highly regulated financial services sector.

• Mentorship: Potentially mentor junior designers or contribute to design system evolution, fostering leadership skills.

📝 Enhancement Note: As a senior role within a large organization, the growth opportunities are substantial, focusing on specialized skill development and strategic impact. The FTC nature of the role implies a need for immediate high performance and contribution, with potential for extension or conversion based on business needs and candidate performance.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based in London, with a hybrid working model. This means a blend of working from a corporate office environment and remotely. The office is likely a modern, professional workspace designed for collaboration and focused work.

Office Location(s): London, with a specific mention of "25 Gresham Street" in the raw data, which is a significant financial district location. This suggests an accessible urban hub for in-person meetings, team workshops, and collaborative sessions.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: Offices will likely feature meeting rooms, breakout areas, and potentially open-plan spaces conducive to team interaction and brainstorming.

• Technology Access: Employees will have access to standard corporate IT infrastructure, software licenses (including design tools), and potentially dedicated UX lab facilities for research.

• Team Interaction: The hybrid model encourages intentional in-person interaction for key team activities, fostering camaraderie and efficient problem-solving.

• Professional Atmosphere: As a major financial institution, the environment will be professional, with expectations of punctuality, clear communication, and adherence to corporate standards.

Work Schedule: Full-time, with a standard 40-hour work week. The hybrid model allows for flexibility in structuring these hours, balancing in-office days with remote work, subject to team and project needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work arrangement is a key feature, requiring self-discipline and effective time management. The London office location places the role within a major business and transport hub, offering convenience for many. The emphasis on collaboration suggests that in-office days will be highly structured for team activities.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or HR representative will likely conduct an initial screening to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Review & Technical Interview: Candidates will be asked to present their portfolio, discussing key case studies in detail. This will be a deep dive into their UX process, problem-solving approach, design rationale, and ability to interpret research. Expect questions on design systems, accessibility, and stakeholder management.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A conversation with the hiring manager to assess leadership potential, strategic thinking, and alignment with team objectives.

• Team/Cross-functional Interview: Potentially an interview with other designers, product managers, or developers to evaluate collaboration skills and how the candidate would integrate into the existing team dynamic.

• Final Interview/Offer: May involve a senior leader or final decision-maker.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly outline the problem, your role, the process followed, your specific contributions, the challenges faced, the solutions implemented, and the outcomes/impact.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use metrics (e.g., conversion rate improvements, task completion times, user satisfaction scores) to demonstrate the effectiveness of your designs.

• Highlight Collaboration: Explain how you worked with other teams (researchers, developers, product owners) and how you incorporated their feedback.

• Showcase Design System Use: Be ready to discuss how you applied existing design system components and your thoughts on improving it.

• Prepare for Accessibility Questions: Be ready to discuss how you ensure designs are inclusive and accessible.

• Practice Your Presentation: Rehearse your portfolio walkthrough to ensure it's concise, engaging, and within any time limits.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Scenario: You may be given a hypothetical design problem or a task related to an existing LBG product to solve or critique. Focus on your thought process, user-centricity, and ability to articulate your approach.

• System Thinking: Be prepared to discuss how your design fits within a larger ecosystem or design system.

• Trade-offs: Understand that you might need to discuss design trade-offs between user needs, business goals, and technical feasibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process at a large financial institution like Lloyds Banking Group is typically structured and thorough. A strong portfolio presentation is paramount, demonstrating not just design skills but also a strategic, collaborative, and user-focused approach. Be prepared to articulate your decision-making process and the impact of your work.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Prototyping & Design Software:

  • Sketch: A popular vector design tool for macOS, widely used for UI design and prototyping.
  • InVision: A platform for prototyping, collaboration, and design handoff.
  • Figma: A cloud-based design tool that enables real-time collaboration, prototyping, and design system management.
  • Axure RP: A powerful tool for creating complex, interactive prototypes with dynamic content and logic.
  • Adobe XD: Part of the Adobe Creative Cloud, offering design, prototyping, and collaboration features.

• Design Systems: Experience working with and contributing to component-based design systems is essential.

Analytics & Reporting:

• User Research Platforms: Tools used by dedicated user research teams (e.g., UserTesting.com, Optimal Workshop, Lookback) for gathering qualitative and quantitative data.

• Analytics Tools (Indirectly): While not directly using them daily, understanding how to interpret data from tools like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or internal BI dashboards can be beneficial for understanding user behavior.

CRM & Automation: While not a core UX tool, understanding the customer journey within CRMs (like Salesforce) or marketing automation platforms can provide context for user interactions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of multiple prototyping tools suggests that proficiency in at least one, and ideally familiarity with several, is expected. The emphasis on design systems indicates that candidates should be comfortable with component-based design workflows and understand their importance for consistency and scalability within a large organization.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Focus: A strong commitment to understanding and serving the needs of Lloyds Banking Group's 28 million customers, ensuring their financial well-being and providing exceptional experiences.

• Integrity & Trust: Upholding the highest ethical standards, ensuring security, and building trust with customers and stakeholders in the financial sector.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Working effectively across diverse teams to achieve shared goals, fostering an inclusive environment where everyone's contribution is valued.

• Innovation & Transformation: Embracing change and driving innovation to modernize services and meet evolving customer expectations in a rapidly changing financial landscape.

• Inclusion & Diversity: Actively promoting an inclusive workplace where all colleagues can thrive, reflecting the diversity of the customers and communities served.

Collaboration Style:

• Hybrid Collaboration: Balancing in-person collaboration for strategic discussions, workshops, and team building with effective remote collaboration tools and practices.

• Cross-Functional Partnership: Working closely with product managers, developers, user researchers, legal, compliance, and business stakeholders to ensure holistic product development.

• Feedback-Oriented: A culture that encourages constructive feedback exchange to continuously improve designs and processes.

• Data-Driven Dialogue: Engaging in discussions informed by user research, usability testing, and performance metrics to justify design decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Lloyds Banking Group's values emphasize customer welfare, integrity, and a forward-looking approach to financial services. The culture likely promotes a sense of shared purpose and encourages employees to contribute to the group's mission of helping Britain prosper. The collaborative style is essential for navigating the complexities of a large financial institution.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating a Large Organization: Understanding and working within the complex structures, processes, and stakeholder landscapes of a major financial institution.

• Balancing Diverse Needs: Juggling the often-competing demands of various customer segments, business units, regulatory requirements, and technical constraints.

• Maintaining Design Consistency: Ensuring a cohesive user experience across a vast portfolio of products and services, especially when working with numerous teams and evolving design systems.

• Driving Change: Advocating for user-centered design principles and innovation within a potentially risk-averse or traditional industry.

• FTC Nature: Adapting quickly to a new team and project, delivering significant impact within a fixed 12-month timeframe.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Financial Services UX Expertise: Deepen understanding of UX challenges and best practices specific to banking and financial services, including regulatory compliance and security considerations.

• Large-Scale Design Systems: Gain experience with complex, enterprise-level design systems and their governance.

• Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Enhance skills in working with diverse stakeholders, including legal, compliance, and risk management teams.

• Agile & Project Management: Further develop proficiency in Agile methodologies and project delivery within a large corporate setting.

• Potential for Permanent Role: High-performing FTC employees may be considered for permanent positions, offering long-term career growth within the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical of a senior role in a large, established financial services company. The growth opportunities are significant, offering specialized knowledge, experience with enterprise-scale design, and potential for career advancement. The FTC structure necessitates a proactive approach to learning and demonstrating value from day one.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Design Process & Problem Solving: "Walk me through a complex UX challenge you faced and how you approached it, from initial research to final delivery. What was the outcome?" Focus on your methodology, decision-making, and impact.

• Design System Philosophy: "How do you approach using and contributing to a design system? What are the benefits and potential drawbacks?" Be ready to discuss its role in consistency, efficiency, and scalability.

• User Research & Iteration: "Describe a time when user research or usability testing significantly changed your initial design direction. How did you manage that feedback?" Highlight your ability to be data-informed and adaptable.

• Accessibility Advocacy: "How do you ensure your designs are inclusive and accessible for all users? Can you give an example of a specific accessibility challenge you addressed?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• Lloyds Banking Group's Mission: "What do you know about Lloyds Banking Group's purpose and values? How do you see your role contributing to 'helping Britain prosper'?" Research their mission, vision, and recent initiatives.

• Hybrid Work: "How do you ensure effective collaboration and productivity in a hybrid work environment?" Be prepared to discuss your strategies for both in-office and remote work.

• Financial Services Context: "What interests you about designing for the financial services industry?" Show an understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Tell a Story: Structure your case studies as narratives. Clearly define the problem, your role, the process, your contributions, the solution, and the measurable impact.

• Be Concise and Focused: Respect time limits. Highlight the most relevant aspects of your work that align with the job description.

• Prepare for Deep Dives: Be ready to answer detailed questions about your design decisions, the trade-offs you made, and the rationale behind your choices.

• Showcase Tools: Briefly mention the tools you used for each project, especially the prototyping software and any design system work.

• Highlight Collaboration: Explicitly mention how you partnered with researchers, developers, and other stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interviews for senior roles in large organizations are rigorous. Your portfolio is your primary tool, but your ability to articulate your thought process, collaborate effectively, and understand the business context of financial services will be critical. Prepare to discuss specific examples that demonstrate your senior-level experience and strategic thinking.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided Workday link.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your 5+ years of UX/Interaction Design experience, emphasizing achievements related to end-to-end design, prototyping, design systems, and user research interpretation. Use keywords from the job description.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 strong case studies that best showcase your skills relevant to this role, focusing on complexity, user-centricity, and impact. Ensure clear documentation of your process, problem-solving, and outcomes.

• Prepare Your Portfolio Presentation: Practice walking through your case studies, focusing on storytelling, clarity, and demonstrating your senior-level thinking and collaborative abilities. Be ready to discuss your process and rationale in detail.

• Research Lloyds Banking Group: Understand their mission, values, recent projects, and the financial services landscape. Be prepared to articulate why you are interested in this specific role and company.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.